Have Faith In Me

“Aunt M that lasagna was heavenly.” Carter said rubbing his stomach.

“Grace does Carter always eat like that?” Michelle asked her niece

“Yes. Every single day.” Grace said trying to finish her first plate.

“Where does it all go?” Michelle said jokingly elbowing Carter.

“I work out auntie. I gotta look good for the ladies, you know?” Carter said wiggling his eyebrows at her.

Everyone laughed at the table besides Gabriella, who looked at Carter confused.

“Why do you have to look good for the ladies cousin Carter?” She said looking at him with her big hazel eyes.

“So I can get a girlfriend Gabi.” Carter said as everyone shook chuckled at the conversation.

“Well you don’t have to have a girlfriend. You can have a boyfriend too! Like Uncle Matthew and Mr. Eddie!” Gabriella said as Michelle covered her daughter’s mouth.

Grace looked at Gabriella to her Aunt Michelle to her dad. Tanner looked around with wide eyes as Gavin looked down at his hands and Carter looked at Grace guiltily.

“What?” Grace said seriously

“G just calm down.” Gavin said

“No. I won’t calm down.” Grace said angrily

“We should go.” Tanner said picking up Gabriella and leaving the kitchen with Michelle following. A few seconds later the group heard the front door shut.

“I can’t believe this.” Grace said standing up.

“Grace, I told you that you needed to talk to dad…” Gavin said

“Gavin don’t fucking put this on me. All of you knew about this and kept it from me.” Grace said turning to walk out of the kitchen before her dad gently grabbed her wrist.

“Grace just let me explain.” Matthew said looking at his daughter with sad eyes.

“Oh no I get it. You’re gay. That’s why you left mom. That’s why you got so nervous this morning when I saw you in here with that Eddie guy. Then you lied to my face about who he was to you.” Grace said to her dad. “I know that we haven’t had the best relationship but maybe I wouldn’t have felt so much hate towards you if you had tried to tell me. All anyone ever said was, “Oh Grace you wouldn’t understand” but no one ever tried to make me. You being gay isn’t a problem for me dad. The problem is that you didn’t tell because I deserved to know. And you two,” Grace said pointing to her brothers “You guys just let me think that mom and dad had problems and that‘s why he left mom. If I had known none of this would’ve happened!” Grace said loudly

“Gracie I really wanted to tell you. I just didn’t know how you would take it.” Matthew said guiltily

“How else would I take it? I would think you would know me well enough to know I wouldn’t hate someone because of that.” Grace said seriously “Apparently you really don’t know me.”

“That’s why I wanted you to come out here. I want to have that father/daughter relationship and I was going to tell you about me Gracie. I swear I was. I just wanted to do it right. I wanted you to be more comfortable with me before I told you. I wasn’t trying to purposely lie to you.” Matthew said grabbing her hand.

Grace pulled her hand out of his grip and stepped back.

“Mom knew too, huh?” Grace asked the three guys standing in front of her. They all remained silent.

“I can’t believe this.”

“G we wanted to tell you but we just didn’t know if you were ready.” Gavin said

“You didn’t know if I was ready? I’m fucking twenty years old Gavin, not six. But apparently a six year old is more ready to find this out. Gabi fucking knew.” Grace said pacing.

“G, come on. Calm down.” Carter said quietly.

“Stop telling me to calm down. You know what, I’m done with this.” Grace said before turning and heading for the front door.

“Grace.” She heard Gavin yell after her.

She picked up her bag and left the house, slamming the door. She walked quickly to her car and started it up, speeding out of her driveway. She drove around aimlessly just thinking about everything that was happening. She ended up driving to the beach, where she parked and walked to any empty spot on the dark, windy beach. Grace felt so lonely. She hated feeling like that. She couldn’t help but let the tears fall from her green eyes. She pulled out her phone and called the first person she thought of.

“Hey beautiful. I wasn’t expecting a call from you.”

“Mike.” Grace answered with a quiet and shaky voice.

“Grace? Grace are you ok?” Mike said in a worried voice.

“Can you meet me somewhere?”

“Yeah. Where are you?” he asked as she heard him shuffling around in the background.

“The beach.” She said simply

“I’ll be there in ten.”

Grace looked to her right, what seemed like three minutes later, to see Mike looking at her with a worried look on his face. That was just enough to make her start crying again. Instead of Mike questioning her about what was wrong, he simply wrapped his arms around her and rubbed her back gently. It broke his heart to here her cry but he ignored that feeling. He just wanted to be there for her. A few minutes later her cries became silent and only a few stray tears fell from her eyes. She curled into Mike finding warmth and comfort in his arms as he threaded his fingers through her hair.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Mike asked quietly.

“I hate being lied to.” Grace said simply.

Mike could tell she didn’t want to talk about it, so he didn’t press her.

“I’m always so honest with people so I don’t why they think they can’t be honest with me.” She said playing with her hands.

“It’s harder for some people to be honest Gracie. Lying is their way to protect themselves.” Mike said

“It still hurts.” Grace said leaning her head on his shoulder.

“Well if it makes you feel any better I won’t lie to you.” Mike said grabbing her left hand and linking it with his right.

“Don’t say that. You don’t know for sure.” Grace said playing with his fingers.

“Yes I do. I won’t lie to you Grace.’ Mike said seriously looking into her eyes.

Grace looked up at him and saw how serious his face was. It made her feel good.

“Promise?” she murmured into his neck.

“I promise.” Mike said

The two sat on the beach for a while longer before Grace began to shake from the wind blowing on the beach.

“You should get home. It’s chilly out. I don’t want you to get sick.” Mike said looking down at her.

He noticed how she could barely keep her eyes open. He couldn’t help but laugh to himself.

“Do you have a spare couch I could crash on?” she asked

“I have a couch I could crash on. You can take my bed.’ Mike said standing up while pulling Grace up with him.

“I’m not kicking you out of your bed. I can take the couch.” Grace said stubbornly

“This isn’t a debate. I’m taking the couch and you’ll take my bed. End of discussion.” Mike said smirking at Grace.

She smiled and shook her head.

“Ok fine.”

Mike walked Grace to her car before walking around the back of it to go to his.

“So you good at following people beautiful?” he said smiling

“I think I can manage.” Grace said blushing before getting in her car. She looked over at Mike and saw him wink at her before pulling out of the parking spot. Grace laughed to herself before following.

“I’m really starting to like this kid.”